Snake Eating Chooks!

Discussion in 'General chat' started by Frank, Apr 1, 2008.

  1. Frank

    Frank Junior Member

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    Ever since I fished out a small dead whip snake that drowned in our pool and threw it into our chook yard, I've noticed our chooks when they go free-ranging are now on the prowl scratching under bushes looking for live snakes! No joke! Today I saw my black Australorp fighting a tug-o-war battle with another chook with a live green whip snake curling around both their beaks! The snake is small and no fatter than the thickness of your thumb and maybe 12 to 15 inches long, but our chooks love the taste of them and see them as oversized worms. It took a while for the chook to wolf it down but eat it it did with no ill effects. In fact I think the chooks now lay bigger eggs! So whats the old Permaculture saying? "If you have a snake problem on your land - then you probably don't have enough chooks!"

    Anyone else have carnivorous poultry? :twisted:
     
  2. hardworkinghippy

    hardworkinghippy Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    When we first started building our house, we had snakes all over the place but since we built the chicken shed and our chickens moved in they've done a great job of keeping the vipers down. Unfortunately they also kill the harmless species. :cry:

    Here's a couple of photographs of them :

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
     
  3. TT

    TT Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    I am currently having a house built on 2 acres and I intend to get chooks. My wife is a little worried about snakes (she was born in Europe) and I would like to know if all types of chooks kill snakes or is it only certain types? I have never owned chooks before. My wife would be very happy if the chooks kept the snakes under control. :D

    Paul.
     
  4. Frank

    Frank Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    Make sure you buy the Australian bred Permaculture chickens with the sharp teeth. The other sort don't work properly...

    [​IMG]




    :D
     
  5. TT

    TT Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    :lol: :D Thats funny.
     
  6. hardworkinghippy

    hardworkinghippy Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    Excellent Frank ! :lol:
     
  7. JoanVL

    JoanVL Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    Great pictures hwh!! And to think I imagined I had to protect my chooks from snakes.
     
  8. TT

    TT Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    Frank, Seriously will all chooks have a go at a snake?

    Paul.

    p.s. I am still laughing at that pic. :lol:
     
  9. hardworkinghippy

    hardworkinghippy Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    TT,

    I rescued this grass snake who's about a metre and a half long from a dozen chickens who would have pecked the poor thing to death if I hadn't stopped them. I've a mixed bunch of chickens, Light Sussex, Marans, Brahma and I've seen all of them having a go at snakes - I don't always have my camera handy though !

    When I picked him up, (with a long stick) he played dead then I moved him into the compost heap and he whizzed off. You can see the peck marks all along his body.

    [​IMG]
     
  10. Betty

    Betty Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    Wow Frank! Thats a fine looking bird ya got there. :shock: Didja get it from Texas? :lol:
    Sorry! had to ask that. I am a Texan after all! :D
     
  11. Frank

    Frank Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    [​IMG]

    Hi Betty,
    I'm told the Texas chickens are full of steroids! :D
     
  12. TT

    TT Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    Frank, do you have any of those Texan chooks for sale? Because I have a problem with snakes and lions :lol:

    Paul.
     
  13. Frank

    Frank Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    [​IMG]

    TT, We're flying one up to Gladstone for you...

    [​IMG]

    Since breeding Permaculture Chooks - we no longer have a lion problem on the Sunshine Coast, but a surplus of shaggy rugs!

    :lol:
     
  14. JoanVL

    JoanVL Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    I wish my old butcher could see those pictures. Just after arriving here, I went to the butchers and asked for some chuck steak. Trouble is, with my Yorkshire accent it sounded like chook steak! The butcher commented that they must breed 'em big back where I came from! I was totally flummoxed, 'cos I didn't know that hens were chooks here!!

    (Another customer translated for both of us)
     
  15. colours

    colours Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    peafowl and guinea fowl eat snakes. Peafowl stomp on them from what I've been told. Don't be fooled by their pretty appearance...
     
  16. Loris

    Loris Junior Member

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    Re: Snake Eating Chooks!

    We had big muscovy ducks and I have always found them a great snake deterrant. They love to eat them, especially the babies which they just suck up like spaghetti. Also, because they are so big and heavy and clumsy, they sort of stomp around and encourage the snakes to nick off somewhere else.

    Last week we had a big brown snake in the chook pen. The chooks just get hypnotised and don't move but we had a mother hen with chickies and she just about bust a valve screaming at the snake so we could come and get it. I wish they'd just give up and go to bed for a while.
     

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